Method of and machine for bending sheet metal



Jan. 11, 1938. H. G. FLAGLER METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR BENDING SHEET METAL Filed Jan. 29, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MHZ?? JJ ZZ #21 a? @gaa Jan. 11, 1938. H. e. FLAGLER METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR BENDING SHEET METAL I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1937 Patent... .1....11,.1-93s 2,105,240

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR. BENDING SHEE T METAL Harold G. Flagler, Chicago, Ill. i i Application January 29, 1937, Serial No. 122,892 i i 15 clai s. (on. 153-28) This invention relates to a method of, and maemployment of four sets of power or driven rolls chine for, bending sheet metal to form a seam or and one set of idler rolls, all of the aforesaid power fold therein, and has particular relation to a-novel rolls being positioned in a casing 2|, which latter sequence of steps in the bending or folding of comprises two portions, a lower portion 22'which metal and further to a metal forming machine is secured to a cross member 23 of the bed part 5 which is definitely less expensive than those which of the machine and an upper half fit so secured are now used for similar purposes. to the lower half by means of studs 25, 25 that a Moreover, the sequence of steps employed redesired adjustment of the opening in the slot sults in an improved seam or fold in the metal. As through which the material passes is obtained.

f hereinafter more fully pointed out in connection The upper half of the power roll enclosing ca's- 10 with the description of the machine and the maning 24 is so matched with the lower half and the ner in which the latter isused to form the seam casing portions are so formed that an opening or fold in the metal, the latter is produced with therebetween comprises a slot 26 through which the expenditure of a minimum amount of power, the metal sheet is fed into the interior of the casthis advantage resulting from the novel arrangeing and between the forming or shaping rolls, it 15 ment of certain power driven rolls which act upon being noted that the bed l0 which supports the the metal to produce the required fold or shape. metal sheet as it is fed between the folding rolls Moreover, the sequence of operations and the mahas upstanding therefrom a right angle flange 21 chine which is hereinafter described 'to secure comprising an abutment which guides the matethe same are such that the seam is straight and rial in a straight line as it passes between the 20 the material leaves the machine in a desirable flat rollers.

condition and is not stretched or wavy as is some- The upper half of the casing or frame is positimes the casein the machines now being used. tioned on the studs with cushioning springs 28 lo- Other advantages of the method here disclosed, Gated between e under Side Of the upp p method is practiced, will be emphasized in the fixed to the studs. Nuts 30 are threaded to the description thereof which is hereafter given in studs and are so associated with linkage (best connection with the accompanying drawings, shown in Fig. 4) comprising two handle members wherein: 3i and a connecting link 32 that adjustment of the Fig. l is an elevational view of a machine in upper half of the frame vertically may be se- 30 which the invention is practiced; cured by moving either one or both of the grasp- Fig. 2 is an elevational sectional view taken able members 36; this being a particularly deon the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; sirable means for securing a proper adjustment Fig. 3.is a plan sectional view taken on line 3-3 of the parts concerned with a single movement. of This adiustment is also utilized to take care of 35 Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view of a pordifferent gauges of material, i. e., when it is nection of machine shown in Fig. 1; essary to move the shafts,which will hereafter i s. 5, 7, 8, and 9 are fragmentary elevationbe described and on which the upper power rolls a1 views on similarly numbered section lines of are mounted,vertically with respect to, the Fig. 3, said Figs. 5-, 6, 7, 8, and 9 illustrating the shafts on which the bottom power rolls are 40 mechanism employedin the progressive steps in mounted. v the forming of the seam or fold in the sheet metal. Reverting now to the power means employed The machine consists of a bed ll) supported by in the disclosed machine, the'small gear 20 meshlegs ll, |2,between which latterareinforcing moes with gears 33 and 34, which are pinned to tor-supporting cross member or plate l3 extends. shafts 33a and 34a, respectively. The gears 33 45 A motor I4 is positioned on the plate l3 and is and 34 also mesh with gears 35 and 36, which are provided with shaft IE, to which is pinned a gear mounted on shafts 35a and 3611., it being noted that the shafts 33a. and 3411 are journalled in the Gear l1 meshes with gear I6, and on the shaft lower half 22 of the box-shaped casting 2i and and of an illustrative machine in which said of the casing 24 and annular abutments 29, 29

of said gear i1 is pinned gear l8, which, in turn, that the shafts 35a and 36a are joumalled in the 50 meshes with a large gear l9, to the shaft Ha, of upper half 24 of the same casting. Gears 33b and which latter is, in turn, pinned a gear 20, whence 34b are mounted on shafts 33a and 34a, respecare driven the gears operating the power rolls tively, and gears 35b and 3% are mounted on hereinafter described. shafts 35a and 360, respectively.

The method herein described contemplates the The latter gears mesh with similar gears 'on 55 shafts directly above in the case of 33b and 34b and directly below in the case of gears 35b and 36b. The gears in question are designated as 330, 34c, 35c, and 360, and the shafts upon which these 5 are mounted are respectively designated 33d, 34d,

35d, and 36d. The rolls for forming the aforedescribed seam or fold in the sheet metal will now be described, and it is suggested that main reliance be placed upon Figs. 5 to 9, inclusive, in following this portion of the description.

A sheet of metal is designated M, and, refer-- ring first to Fig. 5, passes through the slot 26 with the edge thereof (referring to Fig. 3) being held against the upstanding abutment 2'! to in- 5 sure the guiding of the sheet in a straight line.

The sheet of metal is first engaged by forming rolls 35c and 35f mounted, respectively, on shafts 35a and 35d, which rolls are driven by the engagement of gears 35b and 350, the latter, in' turn, being operated by the heretofore described train of driven gears. The Fig. 5 forming rolls are novel in the manner in which the metal is initially crimped or formed because of the immediate formation of a substantially 90 degree offset M1, which offset, after being thus initially tofore been obtainable in the making of a fold of the character set forth herein. It has been discovered that this offset may be made at this point at the same time that the initial steps in the bending of the metal to form an associative 5 fold are being undertaken and that, by thus making the offset at this point at the same time another fold is made, a desirable economy in the amount of power necessary to make the fold is secured. Not only is the actual power expended less in amount, but, because of the aforesaid novel arrangement, a machine for practicing the method may be constructed more economically than has heretofore been possible.

The other initially-made associated bend in the metal is designated M2 and comprises a 45 degree bend.

The metal sheet is next led between the rolls shown in Fig.- 6, i. e., between a roll 33c and 33f mounted on the indicated associated shafts and 60 driven similarly to those first discussed. In this latter forming operation, it will be noted that the offset M1 is retained in its original form and that, because of its being thus retained, the manner in which the 45 degree fold M2 is progressed into a 90 degree fold M3 is greatly simplified.

Before proceeding with the description of the other power-driven forming rolls, it is necessary at this point to discuss certain undersetting idler rolls which are not necessarily power driven and which may bethus idle because of the novel sequence of steps which are here employed. A shaft 31 is mounted in the side wall of the upper casing portion 24 and has pinned thereto a roll' 31a. The matching wall of the lower box-like casing 22 is provided with an opening 22a through which certain other idler rolls may protrude if desired. A journal block member 38 is mounted within the casing to support and provide journals for shafts 39 and 40. Bevelled rolls 39a and 40a are mounted on the aforesaid shafts'i39 and 40,

respectively, and, as the metal passes through the latter-described set of rolls, the offset M1 is retained, but the 45 degree rolls 39a and 40a. operate to form a Z bend M4 in the metal to t e right of the offset end M1.

This very desirable bending operation is thus secured without the expenditure of power and, by the novel arrangement of the rolls at an angle, is obtained without undesirable stresses being placed upon either the metal or the rolls, this occurring in considerable part because the rolls, by being mounted as shown, may form the desired fold directly as dictated by the shape of the rolls.

The metal is next passed between the rolls shown in Fig. 8, i. e., the rolls 34c and 34 The offset M1 is still retained, but, as the metal is thus retained in the aforesaid shape between the rolls, the lower horizontal leg of the 2 fold M4 is pressed upwardly towards the upper horizontal leg thereof by the lower roll 34f operating as indicated. An idler roll 4| having an acutely angled edge, as shown, is so mounted as to be continuously drawn tightly between the cross member and the lower part of the Z fold with the folds, an idler opening roll 42 is provided to continuously interpose between the folds indicated, thereby to insure that the fold, although definitely compacted, will have the opening as desired.

It will be noted that the block 38,in which the rolls 39a and 40a are journalled,-is adjustable in a horizontal direction by reason of the fastening means 38a and 38b extending through slotted mounting lugs 38c and 3811, respectively. This structure permits movement of the block 38 towards or from the wall of the casing with consequent variable control of the point at which rolls 39a and 40a grip the sheet and this,--in connection with the play which is permitted lengthwise of shafts 33a, 34a, 35a, and 36a (by reason of the rollers thereon not abutting flush against the casing wall) ,-insures a proper bias of the metal sheet as it passes between the rolls in such direction as to cause the edge of the metal positively to contact with the aligning abutment 21 during its passage through the machine, irrespective of "bow which may exist in the metal sheet undergoing bending. Because of the aforesaid adjustability of block 38, the point of sheet grip and the shaft play, proper alignment of the sheet may be secured by variations corresponding to the existing bow in the sheet.

While a particular embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it is to be understood that various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, and, therefore, the invention is to be limited only by the scope of the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim:

1.-In the formation of a sheet metal joint member, the method of procedure which comprises initially and simultaneously forming a degree offset in said metal and a 45 degree offset in the portion of said metal on one side of said 90 degree offset, then increasing said second offset to a 90 degree bend and thereafter completing said joint member by folding the metal comprised in said portion into parallelism with the main body of metal, the first formed degree offset being continuously maintained throughout all of the folding operations.

2. In the formation of a sheet metal joint member, the method of procedure which. comprisesinitially forming a 90 degree offset and a 45 degree offset, progressing said 45 degree offset into a 90 degree and finally into a degree fold while retaining the first-mentioned 90 degree offset, said 180 degree fold being formed beside the said first-referred-to 90 degree offset and the lower portion of the said folded metal being coplanar with the main body of the metal.

3. In a sheet metal forming machine, an inltiallycontacted set of forming rolls for producing a substantially 90 degree offset in the metal and a 45 degree offset'therebeside, power-driven forming rolls for increasing said 45 degree offset to a 90 degree bend, idler rolls for progressing said last described fold into a Z, and power rolls for closing said 2 upon itself beside said first formed 90 degree offset.

4. In a sheet metal forming machine, an initially contacted set of forming rolls for producing a substantially 90 degree offset in the metal and a 45 degree offset therebeside, power-driven forming rolls for increasing said 45degree offset to a 90 degree bend, idler rolls for progressing said last described fold into a 2, power rolls for closing said 2 upon itself beside said first formed 90 degree offset, and means for insuringan opening between the bottom folds of the collapsed Z portion. P Y

.5. In a sheet metal forming machine, an initially contacted set of forming rolls for producing a substantially 90 degree offset in the metal and a 45 degree offset therebeside, power-driven forming rolls for increasing said 45 degree offset to a 90 degree bend, idler rolls for progressing said last described fold into a Z, and a journal blockfor said last named idler rolls, said block being mounted to be adjustable horizontally to promote desired alignment of the metal being op-' erated upon.

6. In a sheet metal forming machine, an initially contacted set of forming rolls for producing a substantially 90 degree offset in the metal and a 45 degree offset therebeside, power-driven forming rolls for increasing said 45 degree offset to a 90 degree bend, idler rolls for progressing said last described fold into a Z, and power rolls for closing said Z upon itself beside said first formed 90 degree offset, all of the rolls being mounted upon shafts which havea horizontal play in the journals thereof to promote positive alignment.

7. In a sheet metal forming machine, an initially contacted set of forming rolls for producing a substantially 90 degree offset in the metal and a 45 degree offset therebeside, power-driven forming rolls for increasing said 45 degree offset to a 90 degree bend, idler rolls for progressing said last described fold into a Z, a journal block for said last named idler rolls, said block being mounted to be adjustable horizontally to promote desired alignment of the metal being operated upon, and power rolls for closing said Z upon itself beside said first formed 90 degree offset, all of the rolls being mounted upon shafts which have-a horizontal play in the journals thereof to promote said desired alignment.

8. In a sheet metal forming machine, an initially contacted set of forming rolls for produc- 1 ing a substantially 90 degree offset in the metal and a 45 degreeoffset therebeside, power-driven forming rolls for increasing said 45 degree offset to a 90 degree bend, idler rolls for progressing said last described fold into a Z, and means for horizontally adjusting said idler rolls to promote desired alignment of the metal being operated upon. v

9. In a sheet metal forming machine, an initially contacted set of forming rolls for producing a substantially 90 degree offset in the metal and a 45 degree offset therebeside, power-driven forming rolls for increasing said 45 degree offset to a 90 degree bend, idler rolls for progressing said last described fold into a Z, means for horizontally adjusting said idler rolls to promote desired alignment of the metal being operatedupon, and power rolls for closing said Z upon itself beside said first formed 90 degree offset, all of the rolls being mounted upon shafts which have a horizontal play in the journals thereof to promote said desired alignment.

10. In a sheet-metal forming machine, an ini-- tially contacted set of forming rolls for producing a 90 degree offset in said metal to form the inner edge of a foldedjoint, and a plurality of subsequently contacted forming rolls for retaining said initially formed 90 degree offset and for acting upon said metal outwardly of said offset to produce a pair of oppositely disposed 180 degree bends therein to form a folded joint having a plurality of parallel folds in parallelism with the main body of metal on one side of said offset.

11. In the formation of a sheet metal joint member, the method of procedure which comprises initially and simultaneously forming a 90 degree offset in said metal and a 45 degree offset in the portion of said metal on one side of said 90 degree offset and thereafter folding the metal comprised in said portion including said second offset to form two parallel portions disposed in slightly spaced relation to each other in parallelism with the main body of metal, the first formed 90 degree offset being continuously maintained throughout all of the folding operations.

12. In the formation of a sheet metal joint member, the method of procedure which comprises initially and' simultaneously forming a 90 degree offset in'said metal and a 45 degree offset in the portion of said metal on one side of said QO-degree offset and thereafter folding upon itself the metal comprising said portion including said second offset to form a folded joint member including a plurality of parallel folds disposed entirely within said 90 degree offset in parallelism with the main body of metal, said 90 degree offset being continuously maintained throughout the folding operations. a

13. In the formation of a sheet metal joint member, the method of procedure which comprises initially forming a, 90 degree offset, simultaneously with said 90 degree offset forming complcmentary 45 degree bends in the metal inter mediate said offset and one edge of the metal to provide a marginal portion parallel with the main body of ,metal, and thereafter forming said 45 degree bends into 180 degree folds while maintaining said 90 degree offset.

14. In a sheet metal forming machine, an initially contacted set of forming rolls for producing a substantially 90 degree offset in the metal and a second offset of less than 90 degrees therebeside, power driven forming rolls for increasing said second offset to a 90 degree bend, idler rolls for progressing said last described bend into a Z, and means for horizontally adjusting said idler rolls to permit desired alignment; of the metaloffset and one edge of the metal to provide a being operated upon. marginal portion parallel with the main body of 15. In the formation of a sheet metal joint metal, and thereafter forming said complemenmember, the method of procedure which comtary bends into 180 degree folds while maintainprises initially forming a. 90 degree offset, simuling said 90 degree offset.

taneously with said 90 degree offset forming complementary bends in the metal intermediate said HAROLD G. FLAGLER. 

